WORLD NEWS BRIEFS

WORLD NEWS BRIEFS;Europe Refuses to Lift Ban on British Beef

AP

Published: April 11, 1996

BRUSSELS, April 10—
European Union veterinary experts today turned down Britain's request to relax an export ban on British beef imposed in response to a report that mad cow disease may be transmitted to humans.

Britain wants to resume exports of beef fat and gelatin made from boiled-down cattle carcasses. Those materials are widely used in products like soap, cosmetics, glue, candy and ice cream.

The European Union ban on all beef products was imposed on March 27 as fear grew that humans could contract a deadly brain illness related to mad cow disease, a brain-wasting ailment that has affected cattle herds in Britain.

Britain had hoped the European Union veterinary committee would be swayed by the World Health Organization's finding last week that beef-derived gelatin posed no risk to human health.

"The ban has not changed," a European Union spokesman, Gerry Kiely, said after a daylong meeting of senior veterinary officials.

Mr. Kiely said the meeting showed a clear majority of European Union nations want Britain to present a detailed plan to contain mad cow disease before they consider modifying the ban.